Railroad-crossing alarm



March 10. 1925- 1,529,271

J. FN ICZC RAILROAD CROSSING ALARM Filed April 25, 1924 1 II" I t r? k} w 1" I uenfor: aahn zwow,

Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN PICCO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILROAD-CROSSING ALARM.

Application filed April 25, 1924. Serial No. 709,003.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l. JOHN Prcoo, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at New York, in the (ounty and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in llailroathcrossing Alarms, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to railroad crossing alarms of the type mechanically actuated by the wheels of rolling stock. and it has for its object to proride a simplified and improved alarin apparatus in which the alarm itself is housed and prote ted in a hollow r support at the side of the track. Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this specification, and then more specifically defined in the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein 5 similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a transverse section of a track equipped with an alarm constructed substantially in accordance with this invention, the section being also taken through the hollow support in which the alarm is housed,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the track between the rails on the line 11-11 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a detailed section through one of the rails of the track showing a wheel on the rolling stock with its flange in engagement with one of the depressible brackets.

.As illustrated in the drawings, the track comprises crossties 1 and rails 2 of any suitable form or construction. At one side of the track there is erected a hollow support or post 3 having doors 4 near its upper and lower ends to permit ready access to its interior. In said support or post there are mounted one or more alarms 5, four being shown, which may be in the form of bells or horns or compression bulb horns, such as are used on automobiles. These alarms 5 are operatively connected to a coiled spring 6 also housed in the hollow support or post 3, its upper end being suitably supported as by a ring 6 secured in the upper end portion of said post adjacent the upper door 4.

A series of depressible brackets 7 are secured at their lower ends to ties of the track at intervals along the same for a suitable or desired distance from the hollow post 3. These brackets are preferably made of resilient or spring metal and normally have their upper ends arranged near the level of the top running surface of the rail near which they are arranged so that the flange 8 of the wheel 9 of the rolling stock will engage and depress said upper ends of the brackets 7 when passing over the same, as indicated in Figure 3. A connecting wire 10 extends from the lower end of the coiled spring 6 in the hollow post 3 around a sheave or pulley 11 suitably mounted in the lower end portion of said hollow post adjacent the lower door 4 therein, through a hole 12 in the adjacent rail of the track, and is fastened to the upper end portions of each of the depressible brackets 7, as by being secured in the holes 12' in the latter. It will be understood that there may be any suitable number of depressible brackets for carrying the connecting wire 10 for a sutlicient distance from the alarm so that ample warning will be given of the approach of a train before it reaches the point where the alarm is situated. The extremity of said connecting wire may be fastened in any suitable manner to the rail, as 18. Any suit able means, not shown, may be employed for taking up slack in the connecting wire so as to insure the proper actuation of the alarm at all times.

In operation, each time a wheel on the rolling stock of a train passes over the upper end of one of the depressible brackets 7 it will be drawing on the connecting wire 10, which is not itself directly engaged by said wheel, exert a pull on the coiled spring 6 housed in the hollow post 3 and thus sound the alarm or alarms which are also housed in said post. As the invention contemplates the use of a much larger number of depressible brackets than are shown in the drawing by way of illustration, it will be noted that the alarm will be sounded repeatedly before a train reaches the hollow post in which the alarm is housed and which post is designed to be placed at a railroad crossing or other point where it is desirable to give advance warning of the approach of a, train.

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In the foregoing specification I have pointed out in detail the several elements which constitute the invention, but desire it to be understood that modifications amounting to slight changes may be made within the meaning of the invention Without departing from the intent and meaning of said specification. I therefore desire it to be understood that I retain the right to make such minor changes as I may deem necessary.

I claim:

1. The combination with a support to be arranged near a railroad track, of an alarm to be mounted on said support, inclined resilient brackets to be arranged at intervals along the track and each having a horizontal upper end portion to extend adjacent the tread of one of the rails of the track Where it Will be in the path of and adapted to be depressed by the flanges of Wheels of rolling stock, and connecting means attached to the upper end portions of said brackets and eX- tending between the latter and the alarm for actuating said alarm when said brackets are depressed.

2. The combination with a hollow sup" port to be arranged near a railroad track, of a coiled spring housed in said hollow sup port, an alarm mounted on said spring and movable therewith, operating connections between said alarm and casing, whereby the alarm will be actuated each time said spring is moved, depressible brackets to be an ranged at intervals along the track and adapted to be depressed by the flanges of the Wheels of rolling stock, and connecting means between said brackets and spring for actuating the alarm when said brackets are depressed.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN PICCO. 

